Opposition marks the middle of the best time of year to see a planet … but why?

When you hear the word “conjunction” in astronomy, you know it means 2 objects close together on our sky’s dome. This post defines inferior and superior conjunctions, plus discusses conjunctions between planets, stars and the moon.

The ecliptic is the path the sun takes across our sky. It’s the Earth-sun plane, and, more or less, the plane of our solar system. Stargazing tip: Learn the whereabouts of the ecliptic in your sky. You’ll always find the sun, moon and planets on or near it.